CHAPTER 7 STUDY GUIDE FOR COLORS OF THE MOUNTAIN BY DA CHEN

Written by: Claire Challenger
May, 14 2007


SUMMARY: In the beginning of the Chapter, Da seems to be unsettled about his new friends, I believe he wants to pursue his friendship, but right now he doesn't want to be involved with trouble makers. Also this is the chapter, where Da begins to smoke. This is a pinpoint chapter, because it seems Da might want to take a, "walk on the wild-side." Da begins to feel included again, since the children at his school started to reject him, and act cruel towards him. [Perhaps the reason for wanting to take more risks, is to feel more accepted.] When Da's friend, Sen, wants to meet up with a girl, Da notices more things about his new friends, and how they know eachother really well, I think Da really wanted to have that kind of relationship with friends. When the girl leaves, they feel very comfortable with eachother, this is very important in friendships. At the end of the book, we see Da's relationship with his mother, I feel Da in this chapter is very satisfied with what is going on around him.

CLASS DISCUSSION: In our class discussion we talked about the meaning of Tacit. The meaning of Tacit is Silent, or Unspoken.

THEMES: A key theme in Chapter 7 of, Colors of the Mountain, I feel is satisfaction, Da seems to feel satisfied with everything going on in his life, how he is making friends well, how he and his mother are close, and how although some things in his life go wrong, he makes it through them. Another theme is Friendship, throughout this chapter, Da has new experiences with his new friends. A very important theme is relationships,

LANGUAGE/TONE/MOOD: At the begginning of the book, Da seems sort of cheerful, at times it feels like he is getting weaker, nearing the end of the book he becomes cheerful again, then falls into a state of unhappiness, because he cant do anything right. I felt the tone in the way he writes seemed to change, and here it starts to get a little angrier.

NARRATOR: Da speaks about himself, using I statements in present tense, but is speaking about the past.

IMPORTANT QUOTES:
Page 65
- "Their laughter, their faces, their way of saying things, and the way they had included me like a real friend replayed in my mind like a colorful film. They had never once mentioned that I was from a landlord's family. They called me 'little shit' beacuse I was three or four years younger, weighed twenty pounds less, and measured a head shorter. Then again, they called everyone 'shit,' including themselves. With them, I felt a freedomg to say and do whatever I wanted without worrying that they might report me to the school authorities. My enemies at school looked conniving and petty in comparison. If they thought they were bad, wait till they saw these guys. I drifted off into a sound sleep, hoping tommorow would come quickly."
I think this quote describes how he feels comfortable with his new 'friends,' and feels comfortable to do anything he wants to. This
quote describes juxtaposition.

Page 75
- "My four friends were uncharacteristicaly quiet. They looked at the water, the moon reflected on the river. No one urged me to go on. It was as though they just wanted to linger in the aftertaste of such tragic love."
moz-screenshot-1.jpg000.jpg This is an image from the website: http://helenwang.rdvp.org/goodlife/uploaded_images/shs_moonWater.1-734454.jpg
This quote I think describes the relationship with his friends, and how they feel together.

Page 76
- "It's up to you to choose who to make friends with. You are grown-up now, I can't watch you every second. But no matter who your friends are, do not forget who you are."
mother_and_son-1015946803.jpg This picture is to represent the love a mother has for his son, which I think this quote is mainly about. Da's mother loves him enough to let him go, and do what he wants. This picture is from the website:
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:NgIfc6m0EhyR2M:http:soy4022.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/
sitebuilderpictures/mother_and_son-1015946803.jpg

Page 76
- "I felt a rush of love and gratitude for her wisdom."
Again another quote about how his mother means alot to him.

Page 76//
- "I could do nothing right."

PICTURES:
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FRIENDSHIP/RELATIONSHIP
moz-screenshot.jpg


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